Senator FORSHAW (12:50 PM) —On behalf of the opposition, I indicate that we do not oppose the Rural Adjustment Amendment Bill 1998 . Senator Sandy Macdonald has detailed many of the elements and objectives of the bill, which is to introduce FarmBis or, more correctly, the Farm Business Improvement Program. Whilst I do not wish to take issue with most of what Senator Macdonald said because, as I said, we do support the legislation, I did note that he referred to the AAA package as the `so-called AAA package'. I am not sure whether that was a Freudian slip, but I think it was quite an accurate description because there are many aspects of the so-called AAA package announced by the former minister that we do not agree with.

In other cases, aspects of the AAA package are simply a repackaging of programs that were already in place under the previous Labor government. Certainly, introduction of the FarmBis program is a welcome initiative and we are happy to support it. Its objective of improving the managerial skills and other skills of farmers through education and learning activities is certainly meritorious.

The opposition notes that the farming sector has been undergoing ongoing structural adjustment over many years, whether it has been under previous Labor governments, previous Liberal governments or this government. That is a response to changes in the international competitive environment for rural commodities and also a response to the need to endeavour to improve the productivity and, therefore, the profitability of Australian farming. When we were in government, we were very keen to promote that and assist wherever possible. Therefore, when legislation is introduced by this government that has that objective and can help to achieve those aims, we are happy to support it.

We do not take the approach of making the crass observation that, simply because some members of the government happen to be farmers, they have a vested interest in this. Rather, we note that they are here representing a very important constituency, the farming community of this country—just as it is the case that there may be former trade union officials in the parliament who represent, in part, the interests of many hundreds of thousands of Australian employees, including, dare I say it, employees in rural and regional Australia. I know we have a fair bit of busi ness to deal with in this period of debate on non-controversial legislation, so I will leave my remarks there and indicate that the opposition supports passage of the legislation.